


Sticks and Stones

by lucymonster



Category: Bleach
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-06-18
Updated: 2013-06-18
Packaged: 2017-12-15 08:08:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 496
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/847259
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lucymonster/pseuds/lucymonster
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In his career at the Sixth, Renji has received thorough training in a whole range of useful life skills. Accepting compliments hasn't been one of them. (ByaRen-ish)</p>
            </blockquote>





	Sticks and Stones

**Author's Note:**

> For taydev, who said: “I imagine even the smallest compliment from Byakuya would turn Renji into the happiest and most excited puppy ever.” Well, I ran with that, and somehow this happened.

Sheer horror held Renji rooted to the spot - too horrified to move or speak, to lower his weapon, to throw himself to the ground and grovel for forgiveness. He could only stare, eyes popping, mouth flapping uselessly open, still reeling from shock and unable to process what had happened. What he’d just done.

 

Kuchiki-taichou raised one slender hand slowly, ponderously, and wiped a thumb across the slow trickle of blood oozing out from his freshly split lip.

 

“I’m... _fuck_...I’m sorry, Taichou,” Renji gurgled, his throat constricting as though trying to trap the words before they could escape. “I didn’t know you were behind me...I was just training and, and...I heard something behind me and I just...I didn’t know it was...you came up so quietly...I didn’t mean to...”

 

Kuchiki-taichou didn’t answer immediately. He pulled his hand back from his mouth. Stared down at the blood staining his thumb. Worked his jaw carefully. Tilted his head.

 

Time stood still.

 

“Good hit,” said Kuchiki-taichou at last.

 

Renji could have sworn the bottom dropped out of his stomach. “W-what? What did you - I mean, I’m sorry Sir, I don’t... _what_?”

 

“Good hit,” the captain repeated, slowly, as though talking to a small child. His eyes glanced over the training sword that had collided so unexpectedly with the side of his face, and was now being held in a grip so tight, the wood of the handle was beginning to creak and splinter. “A powerful blow. Too fast for me to dodge at such short range. It would seem your long hours of practice are paying off.”

 

The noise that Renji made was like the battle-cry of some small marsupial. He couldn’t hold it back - through the haze of shock something was welling up within him, building pressure, making his hands shake and his heart pound frantically in his chest. Taichou was...Taichou said...Taichou had _noticed_...

 

“I came out to oversee your training,” Kuchiki-taichou continued, politely ignoring the strange squeaking sounds issuing from his lieutenant’s mouth. “It seems my assistance will not be required after all.” He turned, graceful as ever, and over his shoulder he added: “Mind your grip. You hold your arms too stiff - relax them a little.”

 

“Y-yes Sir! Thank you, Sir!” And then the captain was gone and there was only Renji, gaping at the empty space where he’d stood. That something in his chest was rising higher, churning, bubbling, buoying him up. He’d done it. Not once in his whole career had Kuchiki-taichou ever paid the slightest bit of attention to his progress, or shown any shred of approval for his hard work...and yet...and yet now...

 

Light-headed and positively _giddy_ with pride, Renji squared his shoulders and readied his stance for a second, freshly motivated run through his drills.

 

In the privacy of his own office, Byakuya sat down at his desk and rubbed his jaw gingerly, feeling out the extent of the swelling. “Ouch,” he said.

 


End file.
